Ash Wednesday is approaching quickly and I, for one, am excited for it! For a lot of people, Lent is about “giving up” something, such as candy, or coffee or whatever. Other people consider the penances of Lent a drudgery. That’s too bad. Lent isn’t about giving up something and then becoming frustrated – or giving up – when you fail. That’s what New Year’s Resolutions are for! Now, I’m not saying not to give up something for Lent. There is an important place for sacrifice and denial, but Lent is WAY more than that.

Lent is about renewal!

The beginning of a new year is a time when many people make resolutions to lose weight, to do “this” or don’t do “that.” August and September is the beginning of a new school year and a time when kids (and adults) resolve to make “this year better than last year.” Of course, technically, everyday is a chance for a restart. But Lent is unique. Lent is a time that is especially meant for a spiritual renewal, even more so than the Advent and Christmas Season. Lent is a time to recalibrate our souls and remind ourselves of what and WHO is important in life. And, it is a time to refocus and rekindle (or deepen) our relationship with Jesus and with the Blessed Trinity.

Therefore, the purpose of the “mandates” of Lent, prayer, sacrifice and almsgiving, is to help us go deeper into the truths of our faith and our relationship with Christ, NOT to give us yet “one thing to do or not do” for the next six weeks. Thus, I’d like to invite you to rethink your strategy for Lent this year. If you have been in the habit of giving up something for Lent and it hasn’t worked for ya, how about instead of giving up something, give yourself something. Here are five ideas of things you can give yourself for Lent:

1. Give yourself the gift of Confession.

If you haven’t been to the Sacrament of reconciliation in a while, now would be a good time to go. The Church requires Catholic to go to Confession at least once a year for a reason. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a sacrament of healing and an opportunity to encounter Christ in a very special way.

There are a lot of people who are afraid of going to Confession or who think it is a waste of time. “Why go to confession to a priest when I can tell my sins right to God?” However, confession is a gift from God that gives us special graces, allows us to grow in grace and to come back to Him when we fail. I strongly encourage you to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church in regards to confession. Do the research on why Confession is important. It is really a very important sacrament!

2. Give yourself the gift of the Eucharist.

If you aren’t in the habit of going to daily mass, now would be a great time to start – even if it just one or two days a week – or just on Saturdays. The readings for Lent are just as powerful during the week as they are on Sundays.

There is a lot of focus today about the community aspect of Mass which is important. However, we also must never lose sight of the purpose of the Mass. It is the center and source of our Christian Life! When we receive communion, we receive Jesus Himself. We take Him into our souls and our hearts. What an amazing and profound blessing and gift that is!

3. Give yourself the gift of prayer.

The rosary is a particularly powerful prayer and it is a wonderful way to meditate on the mysteries of Our Lord’s Life, Death and Resurrection. It is even better if you can pray together as a family. Also, many Churches offer the Stations of the Cross each Friday which is a beautiful way to enter one’s self into Our Lord’s suffering. If you can’t do that, try to just spend a few minutes or so reading the Bible and Lectio Divina.

There are also a lot of retreats and devotional booklets that are published for the Lenten Season. If that helps, pick one of those up and use it to help guide your prayer. Better yet, scrap that and just talk to God as you would a friend. He is always ready to listen! It may seem strange at first but we can, and should, speak from our souls and pour out our heart.

4. Give yourself the gift of reflection.

Prayer isn’t all about talking! It is also about listening and reflecting on what God wants to tell us. One way to do this is by jounaling. When you journal, you can certainly write down your prayers. However, you can also write down notes, scriptures, and insights that you get during prayer. You can paste prayer cards and pictures, doodle, and make it your safe and private place of encountering God.

To help you do this, last year I created a Lenten Prayer Journal. It is an unguided prayer journal sprinkled with scripture verses from the Mass readings, blank pages, and a section for specific prayer intentions. It is my heart’s desire that the journal be a comforting and “magical” place for you to grow in your faith and love for God.

5. Give yourself the gift of intention.

Finally, above all – no matter what you do the Lent – let it be intentional and focused. Be fully present to your devotions, family or whatever it is you are doing or not doing for Lent. That alone will transform your Lenten experience!

So many of us, myself included, live life too reactionary. We don’t take the time to think things through because we are too busy rushing from activity to activity and responsibility to responsibility. This year, take a few minutes to look at your calendar. What can you delegate, reschedule or remove so that you can give yourself some breathing room and mental space?

Now, let’s support each other.

Tell me, what are you doing for Lent this year? What are you going to do or not do in order to truly deepen your relationship with Jesus and renew your spirit this season? By putting it out there, it will help you stay accountable and give me the opportunity to pray for you!

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Want accountability and support in growing your faith and relationship with God this Lent? I can help.Let’s set up a time to chat, get to know each other, and see if working together makes sense.

Mary: Losing and Finding the child Jesus

“The Mother of God, who looked for her Son so anxiously when he was lost (through no fault of her own) and experienced such great joy in finding him, will help us retrace our steps and put right whatever may be necessary when, because of our carelessness or our sins, we have been unable to recognize Christ. With her help, we willl know the happiness of holding him in our arms once more and telling him we will never lose him again.” –St. Jose Maria Escriva

Confession is a sadly misunderstood sacrament within and without the Catholic Church. It’s such a shame, too. The Sacrament of Confession (now widely known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation) is a tremendous gift from God to the Church.

I remember years ago reading in the book Pierced by a Sword (aff link) confession being described as “whispering into the ears of Jesus.” And, in faith, we know that is exactly what confession is. When we confess our sins we are whispering (or talking) to God through the priest, who is an instrument of God’s grace.

From personal experience, I can say that Confession is a very powerful and healing sacrament. I have often been deeply touched by God’s grace in the confessional and always come out strengthened in faith and ready to do battle for the Lord.

Anyhoo, getting back on point: Father Z offers very practical tips, from waiting in line patiently to how to confess any mortal sins. Do take a moment to check those tips out. 🙂

Did you know that the month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary? I didn’t know it was until just recently. It is also the month of two very special Marian feast days: Queenship of Mary (which when don’t celebrate this year because it’s a Sunday) and the Assumption.

The best way to honor Our Lady is to honor Jesus. Whenever Our Lady appeared around the world, her main message has always been: peace, prayer, fasting, and conversion of heart. Here are 12 ideas for honoring Our Lady this month:

1. Go to Mass. The best way to honor Our Lady is to honor Jesus; and, what better way to honor Jesus than to participate in the Sacrifice of the Mass? Sunday mass is a given. If you aren’t in the habit of going to daily mass, could you find at least one or two extra days during the week for mass?

2. Make time for adoration. Most churches are open at least several hours a day and many have perpetual adoration or specific adoration times. When you are out and about running your errands, why not stop by a nearby church to spend time with Our Lord? If you can’t get out to a church, you can visit Our Lord through online adoration, such as the one from savior.org.

3. Go to confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation). Our Lady often called us to be reconciled to God. Even if you aren’t aware of mortal sin, going to confession strengthens your relationship with the Lord, helps strengthen your resolve and growth in virtue and confirms you in grace.

4. Pray the rosary. Better yet, pray the rosary as a family. The rosary is a powerful prayer! It is, in reality, a meditation on the birth, life, suffering, death and resurrection of Our Lord. Need another incentive, read these 15 promises.

5. Read the Bible. To know the heart of Mary, get to know the heart of Jesus; and, of course, the best way to do this is to spend time praying the scriptures. Start with reading the mass readings of the day and then go from there.

6. Fast. Our Lady often asks for fasting. She recommends fasting Wednesdays and Fridays, but if you aren’t used to fasting, start small. Try fasting from one meal a week or whatever you feel called to do. Fasting doesn’t have to be about food either. You can fast from television, the computer or news. Again, let the Lord guide you (preferably with the guidance of a spiritual director).

7. Mortification. Mortifying oneself or offering sacrifices is not a popular subject nowadays. Still, mortifying ourselves helps us grow in virtue and strengthens our spirit. When we mortify ourselves, we also share in a tiny way in the redemptive act of Jesus. Very powerful, that! Some examples would be to smile when we don’t feel like it, being patient when it is difficult, eating something we don’t like or not eating something we do like. The opportunities are endless if we look with the eyes of our hearts.

8. Make a pilgrimage. You don’t have to go to Lourdes or Fatima to make a pilgrimage. You can make a trip a local grotto or statue of Our Lady and pray the rosary or other prayers.

9. Participate in a procession. Processions are a traditional custom for the Assumption. If your church or a neighboring church doesn’t have processions, you can have a little procession with your family.

10. Consecrate yourself and family. What better way to honor Our Lady and Our Lord than to consecrate yourself to the hearts of Jesus and Mary? You use a formal consecration prayer, or make up your own prayer.

11. Wear the scapular. The scapular is a sacramental that reminds us of our Lord and Our Lady. The scapular isn’t magic, but there are promises attached to the scapular as well.

12. Bring Mary some flowers. Another tradition is to place flowers at the feet of Mary, particularly on Saturdays. If you have a garden, some families grow a Mary’s garden and/or grow flowers just for Mary.

I hope these suggestions are helpful! Let the Lord guide your family in your devotions. What ideas do you have for honoring Mary? Share in the comments. 🙂